I would be interested to hear what our forum members think of Thursday's visit by the Pope to the UK. Especially in the light of his having covered up the repeated sexual abuse of defenceless young children by officials of his church.

What I think is that simply saying you are "truly sorry" a decade later is not nearly enough by a very, very long way. In fact, I think probably the most generous thing you can say about him is that he may not have known the full extent of the abuse within the catholic church, as there is little doubt that his predecessor, John Paul also took part in a massive and systematic cover-up of these horrendous crimes.

Furthermore in these austere times of cutting benefits for the sick and closing our libraries, I trust that the huge cost of organising and policing this exercise will be met by the Vatican and not the British taxpayer ? Hmm, I think I smell a Rat(zinger).

I quite agree. Just because something has taken place in the past does not mean it should be swept under the carpet. Any sort of cover-up makes the person covering it up complicit in the crimes. Anyone complicit in the abuse of children or vulnerable adults should be brought to account. However, that doesn't mean there can't be forgiveness. I suppose we should aim for perfect love and perfect justice. We need both.

Personally, I have no interest on whether the pope comes over here or not - even if the costs are covered by the Vatican, but then I suppose I am on the 'low' end of church. The thing is, if Jesus was around today, who would he be visiting? Somehow, I doubt it would be the pope or even the mildly popular, exceedingly witty, dashingly good-looking, Vicar of Uplyme..._________________Uplyme Church - joining in with the mission of God.

I think it's appalling that he's coming. He knew full well what was happening, and he was explicitly involved in covering it up.
I think anyone who is involved in covering up child rape should be subjected to the full force of the law. I have NO respect whatsoever for position or title in these matters.
I am ashamed of our government's recent attempts to change the law to prevent him being arrested while on British soil.
Until he gives up ALL information, leading to the arrest of ALL his abbhorent priests, then he is guilty of withholding evidence, complicity in child-rape and exacerbating the most unimaginable suffering to countless children. I find it astonishing to see catholics still defending him and his priests.

Geoffrey Robertson, a well-regarded human-rights lawyer, recently said.
“He can’t be arrested on this visit because he is here as a head of state rather than a religious leader, and therefore has immunity, but he clearly falls under international law, for having assisted in the protection of sex offenders in a mass atrocity, and could be prosecuted in international law under the doctrine of command responsibility.”

I would be the first to agree that this country has certain aspects that might incline one to think it a third world country but Cardinal Walter Kasper seems to be associating third world status with a healthy atheistic attitude.

Perhaps the pope should restrict his visits to actual third world countries where the Catholic Church helps to preserve that status by its attitude to such matters as birth control._________________It's later than you think